ZURICH (AP) — FIFA has welcomed a legal win in a Belgian court which upholds its ban on third-party investors owning players’ transfer rights.
FIFA says the local court in Brussels rejected legal arguments that the ban which took effect in May broke European Union competition laws.
The case to suspend implementing the ban was brought by lawyers for the Doyen Sports Investments fund and Belgian second-division club Seraing United.
Third-party ownership (TPO) was most popular with agents, investors and clubs in Latin America, Spain and Portugal. They argue it let clubs sign players who otherwise cost too much.
Critics said the investment model sucked money from football, caused players to be transferred for profit-taking rather than sporting reasons and threatened the game’s integrity.
The FIFA ban followed a campaign by UEFA.
